Solar that keeps performing long after switch-on.
A solar system is only as good as what happens after it switches on. We install and maintain your system, and set you up to see it working from day one. Here is what to expect, and what keeps a system performing for years.
Start my free energy assessment Talk to a Solar SpecialistWhat happens to your system after the install?
Does this sound familiar?
A solar system is not a one-day job. What happens after switch-on decides whether it keeps paying you back.
Built to perform long after switch-on
You want to see your system working, and know who to call when it is not.
ZenSolar designs every system in house. We fit FoxESS and Sigenergy inverters and batteries with tier 1 panels. We install and maintain your solar system with swap-out warranties and smart automation. Every system we fit carries our 10-year swap-out warranty on the inverter and battery.
But the kit is only half the story. How your system is handed over, how you see it working, and how problems show up early is what protects your money.
And we can do the same for you.
This page covers just that: your handover, your app, why cleaning and checks matter, how long each part lasts, and your warranty. See how a system is designed on energy audit and design, or how the whole service fits together on Services.
Monitoring: what you can see on your phone
Every system we fit comes with its maker's own app. Which app you use depends on your kit: FoxCloud for FoxESS, mySigen for Sigenergy.
| Feature | FoxCloud (FoxESS systems) | mySigen (Sigenergy systems) |
|---|---|---|
| Live view | Solar, battery, grid and home use on one screen | A live energy flow, showing where your battery power comes from and goes, updated every 10 seconds |
| History | Trends by day, week, month and year | A plain summary of how the system ran over the last 24 hours, and why the battery charged or discharged |
| Also | Firmware updates can be sent to the inverter over the internet, with no site visit needed | A forecast for the next 24 hours |
FoxCloud also has an alarm screen that lists current faults and past ones.
The owner gets pop-up notifications in the app, so you do not have to keep checking it. You do not need to be on site to see how your system is doing. If the app flags something, you can contact us. See both brands in full on FoxESS and Sigenergy.
Why cleaning and checks matter
This is not a ZenSolar service or a fixed schedule. It is simply how solar systems work, so you know what to look out for.
What you do about any of this, and how often, depends on the options you choose. We do not sell one fixed cleaning method or schedule.
Does one bad panel stop the whole system?
Not fully, but it can pull the rest down. Panels are wired together in a string, and on normal panels the whole string can only run as well as its weakest panel. So one shaded, dirty or faulty panel can cut the output of every panel in that string. That is why we design around shade when we plan your system. Some panels, like Aiko, have a built-in optimizer, so one shaded panel does not drag the others down. If output drops, your monitoring app shows it, so a faulty panel can be found and swapped.
Good design can also limit the damage, for example by giving each string its own input on the inverter, so one weak string does not hold back the others. This is one reason good design matters as much as good kit. See how we design around your site on energy audit and design.
Your roof warranty, protected
Panels add weight and new fixing points to a roof. Our mounting is designed to protect your roof warranty. Every job also gets a structural engineer's sign-off. That is not an extra step for show. It is part of doing the job properly.
How long the parts of your system last
| Part | Typical life | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Solar panels | 25 years or more | Panels lose a little output each year, and keep working for decades |
| Inverter | About 10 to 15 years | Heat is the main reason an inverter ages, so where it is mounted matters. Covered by our 10-year swap-out warranty |
| Battery | Depends on how it is used, and how hot it runs | Covered by our 10-year swap-out warranty. If your system already has a battery, more can be added later |
| Mounting | Built to carry your panels for their whole life | Designed to protect your roof warranty, with a structural engineer's sign-off on every job |
These are typical ranges, not promises for any one site. Your free energy assessment and design take your own property into account.
The 10-year swap-out warranty
Every system we fit carries our 10-year swap-out warranty on the inverter and battery. If the inverter or battery needs replacing under the warranty, it gets swapped out. It does not depend on how you paid for the system.
Room to grow
Your power use can change over the years. If your system already has a battery, you can add more later. FoxESS batteries can be stacked, so more battery can be added to an existing FoxESS system. Sigenergy's SigenStor and SigenStor NEO battery modules stack together and can be expanded, even mixing older and newer modules.
Built for real sites, not a showroom
Already run a diesel generator? We can connect a new solar system to it, so the two work together.
Already have solar that is not performing well, even a system another installer put in? We assess it first. The work only goes ahead once you agree to a proper repair, not a quick patch. We do not promise to fix every system sight unseen.
What long-term performance looks like
A handover you understand
We walk you through the finished system before we leave, which means you know what you have and how to tell it is working.
See your system on your phone
FoxCloud or mySigen, depending on your kit, and the owner gets pop-up notifications in the app. which means you never have to guess how your system is doing.
One clear warranty
Our 10-year swap-out warranty on the inverter and battery, which means a part that needs replacing under the warranty gets swapped out.
Your roof, protected
Mounting designed to protect your roof warranty, with a structural engineer's sign-off on every job, which means the roof under your panels is checked too.
Designed around shade
We plan panel layout around shade, and can fit panels with a built-in optimizer (like Aiko), so one shaded panel does not drag the rest down, which means shade costs you less output.
No plan forced on you
Maintenance depends on the options you choose, which means you do not pay for a fixed package you did not ask for.
Room to grow
More battery can be added to a system that already has one, which means your system can grow with your needs.
A real job: EFJS Printing
"ZenSolar was excellent in all that they did. The installation at my Printing Shop and home was done to the highest standard."
Bernard Synman, Director of EFJS Printing.
From install to full performance, in order
Step 0: Book your free energy assessment.
First call to switch-on usually takes about 1 to 3 weeks. This depends on sign-offs, your paperwork and the size of your system. Here is what happens at the end of that, and after.
1
Install and checks
We install your system and check it before it is handed over.
2
CoC and SSEG
A registered electrician issues your Certificate of Compliance. CoC and SSEG application handled for you. Grid tied and hybrid systems must be registered with, and cleared by, your supplier, the city or Eskom, before they are switched on.
3
App set up
Your app, FoxCloud or mySigen, is set up so you can see your system on your phone from day one.
4
Handover and walk-through
We walk you through the finished system: where everything is, what each part does, and how to tell it is working normally.
5
Enjoy it working, with support when you need it
From here, maintenance depends on the options you choose. Your 10-year swap-out warranty and your app come with every system.
Did you know?
Cheap, unbranded panels can lose 15% of their output in just 5 years. Tier 1 brands lose under 5% in the same time. We fit tier 1 panels: Canadian Solar, JA Solar, LONGi, Jinko, Trina and Aiko.
How is this different from a system that gets installed and forgotten?
With us
- A handover you understand
- FoxCloud or mySigen set up from day one
- A 10-year swap-out warranty on the inverter and battery
- Roof warranty protected, a structural engineer's sign-off on every job
- Existing systems assessed first, repaired only with your agreement
With them
- Installed, then left to figure it out yourself
- No app, no clear view of your own system
- No warranty length stated, or a short workmanship-only warranty
- No roof or structural check
- Repairs quoted sight unseen, with no assessment first
Frequently asked questions
We walk you through the finished system. A registered electrician issues your Certificate of Compliance, and your app is set up so you can see your system on your phone.
Solar systems have few moving parts. But dust, shade and wear do affect output over time. The inverter and battery are electronic parts worth checking too. What you do about this depends on the options you choose. We do not sell one fixed maintenance package.
FoxCloud is FoxESS's own app. It shows your solar, battery, grid and home use on one screen, with trends by day, week, month and year. An alarm screen lists current and past faults. Firmware updates can be sent to your inverter over the internet.
mySigen is Sigenergy's own app. It shows a live energy flow, updated every 10 seconds, and where your battery power comes from and goes. It also gives a plain summary of the last 24 hours and a forecast for the next 24.
You get pop-up notifications in the app. If the app flags something, you can contact us.
Dust cuts a panel's output slowly over time. Bird droppings are worse, because they do not wash off in the rain and can cause a hot patch. What you do about it depends on the options you choose.
Not fully, but on normal panels it can pull down the whole string, because a string runs only as well as its weakest panel. We design around shade, and panels with a built-in optimizer, like Aiko, stop one shaded panel dragging the others down. Your monitoring app shows any drop, so a faulty panel can be found and swapped.
Panels keep working for 25 years or more, losing a little output each year. Inverters usually last about 10 to 15 years, and heat is the main reason they age. Battery life depends on how it is used and how hot it runs. Every system we fit carries our 10-year swap-out warranty on the inverter and battery.
It covers the inverter and battery we fit. If the inverter or battery needs replacing under the warranty, it gets swapped out.
Yes, if your system already has a battery. FoxESS batteries can be stacked. Sigenergy's SigenStor and SigenStor NEO modules stack together and can be expanded, even mixing older and newer modules.
Done properly, no. Our mounting is designed to protect your roof warranty, and every job gets a structural engineer's sign-off.
Yes, but only after we assess it first. We only take on the work once you agree to a proper repair, not a quick patch.
Yes. We can connect a new solar system to an existing diesel generator. The two then work together.
Maintenance depends on the options you choose. Every system already comes with our 10-year swap-out warranty on the inverter and battery. It also comes with its own app. Talk to a Solar Specialist about what suits your site.
Still have a question? Get in touch and we will answer it directly. See how a system is designed on energy audit and design, the install process on solar installations, or how to pay on finance and project enablement.